An example of a tampon forming device is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 145194/1976. This known device is a compressive forming apparatus making use of a cylindrically rolled material, and is composed of a plurality of movable guides and a plurality of press plates.
In this known tampon forming device, the supply of the cylindrical material requires that not only the press plates but also the guides move circumferentially. In consequence, spaces are formed between the guides and the press plates so that dust and small pieces of fibers of the material are inconveniently trapped and caught by these spaces. In the compression stroke of the device, the dust contaminates the product tampon and increases the friction on the guides and the press plates so as to resist the movement of these members.
The present inventor has made an intensive study to obviate the above-described problem of the known tamponforming device and has developed the present invention.
According to the invention, there is provided a tampon forming device comprising: a material inlet guide having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet opening being of greater size than the outlet opening; a plurality of press plates disposed under the inlet guide; and stationary guide members disposed between adjacent press plates. The material inlet guide also has a plurality of radial guide grooves on the inner surface thereof for preshaping and guiding tampon material to be compressed into proximity with the press plates.